Flying Taxis in City Centres by 2026?
You read that correctly. As the motoring industry continues to look for better ways to get around and improve transport, there’s one sector that’s even considering taking to the skies with electric flying taxis.
You’ve heard of electric cars, even electric taxis, but have you heard of electric flying taxis?
To the disappointment of some, we’re not talking about flying cars, but eVTOLs - electrically powered Vertical Take-off and Landing Vehicles. In a nutshell, these are four-passenger aircrafts which could be capable of transporting people between cities and airports in the UK from as early as 2026.
Taking Transport to New Heights
The new taxi service is regarded as the next move forwards for modern, sustainable transport, and is an initiative from the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) system, which uses new aircraft and drones to transport both people and cargo.
The new taxi was unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow 2022 and has become quite the talking piece ever since, with multiple aircraft manufacturers including Airbus and Boeing working on producing their own models, and several companies already placing orders.
American Airlines has ordered 250 electric flying taxis to transport their passengers around cities according to Insider, and with speeds surpassing 150mph, passengers won’t need to fear arriving late to their destination.
So far there’s the VX4 and Brazilian plane manufacturer Embraer’s model Eve. Let’s take a closer look at these models and how they could become your next taxi service provider.
VX4 - Flying Taxi
The VX4 was created by Vertical Aerospace, who revealed a prototype at the airshow for guests to explore. Capable of carrying four passengers up to 100 miles, and reaching speeds of more than 150mph, the VX4 has a wingspan of 15 metres and a 13-metre fuselage length, according to the manufacturer.
Operating without engines, the VX4 is powered by eight EPUs (Electrical Power Units) which have been developed by Rolls-Royce. There’s plenty of room for luggage, with under-seat baggage compartments, and even holds for larger bags on the outside of the fuselage.
The four-row rotors remain vertical during take-off but rotate to a flat position once the aircraft is at cruising altitude, and the four EPUs at the rear remain static. Though this is only a basic description behind how the aircraft will function, the flight controls and avionics are still to be developed.
Eve - Flying Taxi
The Eve aircraft has been produced by Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, representing Eve Air Mobility (EAM). Already capturing the interests of regional airlines, Eve has welcomed 1,900 orders from Republic and Skywest, and is expected to operate in bigger cities like London.
A mock-up of the cockpit was revealed at the airshow, showing four seats arranged in two rows as with the VX4, and limited controls in the front including a small gear stick and display screen.
Eve will have eight rotators which will enable vertical take-off and landings, and there’s already been a gathering of AAM firms to brainstorm a scheme for how the new transport system could work.
eVTOLs and The Taxi Trade
With many of the arrangements and implementation strategies for eVTOLs still to be determined, it will be interesting to see what this means for the existing taxi industry.
There’s a chance that curiosity and intrigue will see lots of people wanting to experience the electric flying taxi, as a faster and more efficient way to get around, however there are still many things to be considered.
With a lot of flight testing to be completed and several regulations to be straightened out before these taxis will regularly take to the skies, there is a lot of work to do before they will become a permanent transport option for travellers.
Cost is also likely to be a key driver of their success or failure and let’s not forget – not everybody is a fan of heights! Meaning there will always be a demand for traditional taxis placed firmly on the ground.
On the flip side, one of the most exciting benefits about implementing eVTOLs as a permanent, sustainable method of transportation is how they will significantly reduce air emissions, contributing to the UK’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Until their official launch, we’ll be keeping an eager ear out for more updates on the development. In the meantime, keep up to date with our newsroom on the latest goings-on in the taxi industry and explore our range of new taxis for sale including standard taxis, used taxis, LEVC taxis and more.